Shadow Days
John Mayer Lyrics
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And swear you're right
Some people been known to do it all their lives
But you find yourself alone
Just like you found yourself before
Like I found myself in pieces on the hotel floor
Hard times help me see
I'm a good man with a good heart
Had a tough time, got a rough start
But I finally learned to let it go
Now I'm right here, and I'm right now
And I'm hoping, knowing somehow
That my shadows days are over
My shadow days are over now
Well I ain't no trouble maker
And I never meant her harm
But it doesn't mean I didn't make it hard to carry on
Well it sucks to be honest (honest)
And it hurts to be real
But its nice to make some love that I can finally feel
Hard times let me be
I'm a good man with a good heart
Had a tough time, got a rough start
But I finally learned to let it go
Now I'm right here, and I'm right now
And I'm hoping, knowing somehow
That my shadows days are over
My shadow days are over now
I'm a good man with a good heart
Had a tough time, got a rough start
But I finally learned to let it go
Now I'm right here, and I'm right now
And I'm hoping, knowing somehow
That my shadows days are over
My shadow days are over now
John Mayer's song "Shadow Days" appears on his 2012 album, "Born and Raised." The song is a reflection on the times in life when everything feels like it's going wrong and the struggle to leave those dark moments behind. The first verse begins with the idea that people can be so convinced they are right, even when they are wrong. They may remain in denial, refusing to acknowledge any other point of view, even when it leads to them feeling isolated and alone. Mayer notes how he has found himself in pieces on a hotel floor - a haunting image of despair.
The chorus of "Shadow Days" offers a glimmer of hope in the hard times - a journey towards acceptance and redemption. The line "Hard times help me see" implies that it's only through the hard times that we can find the strength to move forward. Mayer refers to himself as a "good man with a good heart" who has had a "tough time" and a "rough start." However, he has learned to let go of his past and embrace his present. He sings about being "right here, and right now" and "hoping, knowing somehow" that his shadow days are over. The lyrics suggest that through the "hard times" Mayer has grown and become a more self-aware and empathetic person, ready to start anew.
The second verse of "Shadow Days" reveals that Mayer doesn't see himself as a troublemaker, but acknowledges that his actions may have caused hurt. He describes the honesty and vulnerability required to let others in and to create strong connections. The line "It sucks to be honest/And it hurts to be real" echoes the lyric from Mayer's earlier hit "Dreaming With a Broken Heart," ("When you're dreaming with a broken heart/The waking up is the hardest part"), both illustrating that honesty is not always easy, but is necessary for growth and healing. The chorus repeats again, Mayer reaffirming his newfound strength and hope: "I'm a good man with a good heart/Had a tough time, got a rough start/But I finally learned to let it go/Now I'm right here, and I'm right now/And I'm hoping, knowing somehow/That my shadows days are over/My shadow days are over now."
Line by Line Meaning
Did you know that you could be wrong
Acknowledging the possibility of being mistaken
And swear you're right
Claiming to be correct despite the chance of being incorrect
Some people been known to do it all their lives
Some people have a tendency to always insist on being right
But you find yourself alone
Realizing that one's actions have led to isolation
Just like you found yourself before
Reflecting on past times of solitude
Like I found myself in pieces on the hotel floor
Admitting to a moment of emotional breakdown
Hard times help me see
Difficult experiences provide clarity and perspective
I'm a good man with a good heart
Self-affirmation of positive qualities
Had a tough time, got a rough start
Acknowledging past struggles
But I finally learned to let it go
Coming to terms with and moving on from the past
Now I'm right here, and I'm right now
Embracing the present moment
And I'm hoping, knowing somehow
Maintaining a positive outlook
That my shadows days are over
Believing that a period of darkness has ended
My shadow days are over now
Reinforcing the idea that a brighter future is ahead
Well I ain't no trouble maker
Denying any malicious intentions
And I never meant her harm
Reiterating lack of harmful intent
But it doesn't mean I didn't make it hard to carry on
Recognizing that actions unintentionally caused difficulty for someone else
Well it sucks to be honest (honest)
Acknowledgement that honesty can be difficult
And it hurts to be real
Conceding that being genuine can be painful
But it's nice to make some love that I can finally feel
Feeling a sense of relief and finding emotional connection
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: JOHN MAYER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ellaschultz4241
I love John Mayer songs comment sections. People seem to genuinely care about him, but not in an angry way like with some fandoms. There is a genuine camaraderie here. People open up and relate to one another. I know this happens elsewhere in youtube comments but there is something about John Mayer songs and john mayer fans. It is really fun to be apart of this gently aging fandom of people who love music and who love john. So thank you.
@johniescorpio
Truly true!
@josh_7569
That is actually true; I never realized that.
@educatedgamer5107
Yeah it's so cool every comment section is like a debate about his life😂
@lolamaria2255
So true!!
@thesimpleeastern
Yeah the man's got a (relatively) small yet loyal fan base who like to read lyrics word by word, and consume song as a whole since it always hit them in some ways.
@richard.f
John Mayer is like wine, the older he/it gets, better he/it becomes.
@aakashsunuwar4433
Richard f but looks just the same
@charleshkong
So he's purple, prone to shattering, and smells like alcohol 24/7?
@mainakdebmandal1960
@Aagya sunuwar so does Morgan Freeman